Original subtitles

BEN FORDHAM: Last night, in the second of our four semifinals,

experience counted...

This is astonishing stuff.

..as just eight ninjas rose above the rest

to claim a place in the grand final.

Like robot ninja Rob Patterson and Alex the Mo Matthews

who completed the course with the two fastest times.

As well as standout performances from newcomers Jeff Gooch.

Go the Gooch.

And Stuart Furze who proved

they don't call him the Furzinator for nothing.

(CHEERING)

But in a repeat of season one,

Andrea Ha narrowly missed the grand final yet again.

Oh, no!

Tonight, semifinal three

and 30 more elite ninjas take on the toughest course yet.

The challenge is just going, "No. I can do that."

Determined to conquer it the BMX ninja Daniel Walker.

People might have underestimated me being a BMX racer.

But watch me. I'm going to smash that course.

The onesie ninja Laura Edwards.

To get through to the final would be like I really made it.

And first in his heat, barefoot ninja Daniel Mason.

Plus phenomenal gymnast Celeste Dixon.

She made it up the warped wall

but can she join Olivia Vivian in the grand final?

To get up that wall twice would be awesome

but to get all the way to the end, that would be unbelievable.

We'll find out tonight on Australian Ninja Warrior.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Welcome back to the 2018 season of Australian Ninja Warrior

and the stage is set for another spectacular semifinal.

The heats have already showcased some of Australia's most powerful,

most agile, strongest and fittest athletes

but this course is not easy

and only the very best have survived the heats to make it through.

Tonight, if our ninjas are good enough, the grand final beckons.

30 ninjas will make the run tonight

and must adapt to a course which has been extended for the semifinals.

The assignment awaiting them is as tough as it gets

but these ninjas do love a challenge.

Warming up for the night, we've got the Enforcer.

Riot squad cop Jeffrey Merc.

Also, Antarctic adventurer Steve Choate

and the explosive power of the commando Scott Evennett.

Representing our strong contingent of women

who have made it through to the semis this year,

one of six women up the warped wall Celeste Dixon.

Road trip ninja Kirby Gibbons and the onesie ninja Laura Edwards.

As always, ninjas come to us with all sorts of great nicknames.

Tonight, we'll be seeing the barefoot ninja,

the banana ninja and the bogan ninja.

Take a look right now at what awaits our ninjas

on tonight's obstacle course.

It's the semifinals

and nine bigger, badder obstacles stand in the way of our ninjas.

First, it's the quadruple steps.

Four steps 1.5m apart.

Touch the water and you're out.

Next is the frame slider.

Competitors must brace themselves within the frame

then slide down two bone-jarring jolts.

One slip, and it's game over.

Then the broken pipes.

These have been deadly so far in the semis.

The pipes spin if you step off centre.

As we saw last night,

our ninjas have been finding inventive ways of getting across.

The swinging pegboard is back.

Ninjas must use pegs to hold their bodyweight

and traversed two swinging peg boards.

Take too long and you'll sap all your strength.

Ninjas burn more energy on the new battering ram to pipe climber.

Up next, it's the warped wall.

It was the last obstacle in the heats

but in the semis, there are three more brutal challenges to come.

First up, the dreaded salmon ladder to floating monkey.

An obstacle that has terrorised our ninjas so far in the semis.

Competitors must propel themselves up three vertical rungs

and then traverse the water using two movable bars.

Then tonight's second key obstacle - the hourglass to tramp to bungee.

Finally, it's the 7m chimney to rope climb.

Ninjas must dig deep as they free climb the first 4m

and then pull themselves up the last 3m to press the buzzer at the top.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

So that's what stands in their way.

Remember, we are looking for the eight furthest fastest

to advance to the grand finals.

Let's bring out our first ninja.

He was Australia's first bachelor

and he's aiming to be Australia's first ninja warrior.

He hurt his hamstrings in the heats

but still managed to qualify for tonight's semi.

A huge round of applause for Tim Robards.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

This year I was super pumped for my heat.

I was facing off against the bridge of blades

but I come unstuck on my second step

and the hamstring just went bang.

Oh, hang on.

He's just started clutching the back of the knee.

Got through that, got to the next one and went in the water.

That's alright.

He's gone to the second last obstacle.

Well done, Tim Robards.

Yeah, I was pretty surprised with myself

actually to get through that far.

Tonight's competition is probably

one of the most hardest semifinals you'll ever face.

As a sports chiropractor,

if I was talking to one of my clients,

my patients, I'd probably say,

"You probably should sit it out and wait it out for a bit."

This is a bit of a once-in-a-lifetime thing

and, you know what, I want to see where the story ends.

The grand final is in reach.

I've put in the hard work and I could get through.

Even if I live to the end, I'm not quitting now.

Here is Tim Robards.

Looking terrible again this evening.

He's bloody beautiful.

Go, Tim!

New wife Anna on the sideline

with her mum and sister, Tim's mum Tanya there to.

Here we go.

Semi three.

Now the quad steps.

See there? A much bigger leap to that first step.

This will test that dodgy hammy.

Maybe a little cautious but he's through.

And up to the frame slider.

Now Tim's a big guy.

90kg so holding that weight is going to test him.

The trick is wedge yourself in.

Get as much grip with your feet as you can.

Here he goes. Weight a little forward one jolt, two.

Oh, Tim Robards.

Thrown out the front.

Disaster for the Bachelor on just the second obstacle.

Tim got nice and high on the slider

but when he hits the first jolt, his feet slip and he is thrown back.

He's off-balance for the second jolt

and then it was into the crash mat and then the water.

Tim, that was so unlucky.

Just a slight misjudgement?

Yeah, but I think I was hoping to go a bit faster

and that last little jump, I was ready to bounce off

and I had one more jump and it's just a silly mistake.

Yeah, Tim!

Ladies and gentlemen, the great man, Tim Robards.

Well done, mate. Top man. Oh...

Oh, lovely.

Cheers, mate.

Good to see that bromance is alive and well but up next,

a man who is a little less cuddly.

You will remember him as an unstoppable force in season one.

He's an ex-special forces soldier

who lives by the motto - challenge accepted.

He is Scott Evennett.

I've definitely got something to prove coming into season two.

This bloke is on fire.

This year, on Ninja Warrior,

the heats were a lot more nerve-wracking actually.

I think the pressure was applied from having done season one.

He is just carving through this thing like a knife through butter.

When I first stepped down in front of the wall

and looked up to there, the first thought was, "You are gassed."

He is taking a breather.

He is taking his time.

He doesn't want to muck the last bit up.

Once I was focused on the top,

I just didn't stop running until I got the hand over.

Hit the buzzer, smashed it.

Scott Evennett, that was out of this world.

It's all a blur after that.

My approach to the semifinals

this year is one that I bring from my military heritage.

Season one is the reconnaissance mission.

Now, that information,

that intel that I've got has gone into my training so, yes,

you'll see beast mode

and, yes, you'll see the smarter version of me.

The semifinals may have got me last year

but there's no way that's happening again.

Challenge accepted.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

The competition has just gone up a notch now.

Scott Evennett, the commando from New South Wales,

blitzed his way through the heats.

Scott said tonight, he's going into full beast mode.

Oh, this course might not be the same once he's done with it.

Come on, Scott.

He's got it.

Girlfriend Jenna on the left. Dad Warren, sister Kate.

Big support in the stands as well tonight.

No doubt about it, he means business.

This bloke is a beast of a man.

He's not too tall but just look at him.

He's a machine covered in muscles

and he's just got that real determination.

The commando.

Frame slider now.

Now no one looks comfortable on this.

He is in, he's off, rides the first jolt

and the second and he's through.

Now the broken pipes.

It's proved a graveyard for some of our top ninjas.

But no fear from Scott Evennett.

Oh, Scott Evennett, just fallen onto the plug in the middle.

That fine. Come on, big lad.

Yes, Scott Evennett.

All our ninjas, when they get through the broken pipes,

so relieved.

Such a tricky obstacle and the crowd know it as well.

Now he takes on the swinging pegboard.

Up onto that first board.

We've seen earlier in the semis,

Ben, this can make or break you for the rest of the course.

He struggling a little bit though to put those pegs into the board

and that means more time holding himself up.

What he is doing well is keeping those arms bent.

That helps recruit all the muscles across his huge shoulders and back.

He might be in beast mode

but he just needs to settle down a little bit.

Not just about power, not just about determination, skill as well.

Clear thinking under pressure.

Nearly missed a peg there but he rectified the situation

and he's got to swing up to get himself over to the second board.

This obstacle is cruel, isn't it?

Oh.

It just burns your stamina when there are so many obstacles still to come.

He wants this so badly.

He wants to be at the top of the chimney so bad.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Next up, a brand new obstacle.

This is called battering ram to pipe climber.

He is looking tired.

He's got to shimmy his way along the pipe

and then leap to the second battering ram

before swinging across to the pipe climber.

His arms and upper body must be screaming.

Oh, he's doing well.

Now it's up to the second one.

Oh.

No!

That's a shock.

That's a massive, massive shock.

Scott Evennett's fallen.

Wow, this course is hard tonight.

The commando's problem started back on the swinging pegboard.

He took a long time getting across there,

burning up his arms and when he came to the battering ram,

it's the same muscles again and he was all out of ammo.

Scott, you started well.

Can you tell us how much harder this course is tonight than the heats?

It doesn't even compare.

It's incredibly hard.

Give everyone a round of applause who gets on this course.

It's bloody hard.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

You've still got a chance at the final

depending how the rest of the ninjas go tonight.

How much have you enjoyed it on Ninja warrior?

Oh, mate, I love it. I'll come back every year if I can.

We want you back.

Ladies and gentlemen, Scott Evennett. Mate, top man.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Coming up, aerial ninja Celeste Dixon is a highflyer.

So unbelievably excited that I made it up the wall.

Can she soar to the top of the tower?

That would be the icing on the cake.

BMX ninja Daniel Walker was a crowd favourite in the heats.

Now can this doting dad make it all the way to the grand final?

Did it for these two in my heat.

Now I'm going to do it again in the semifinals.

The Irving brothers Nathanial and Jayden are back.

So twice now, I've proved that I am the better brother.

But which brother will come out on top tonight?

I have to beat you. I can't lose.

You're not really any competition.

I could beat you.

It's not a rivalry. I will beat you.

No, you won't. I will.

And adventurer Steve Choate has run marathons in the Antarctic.

He trains camels to cross the desert.

Next up, he faces his biggest challenge yet.

You go for it.

Welcome back to Australian Ninja Warrior

and our third semifinal for the season.

The course is harder and longer

and just the eight furthest, fastest ninjas progress to the grand final.

Next up a mum of three who's packed up the family

to drive around Australia.

She crashed out on the big wheels in the heats, qualifying 15th

but she is looking to go further.

She is Kirby Gibbons.

We are always saying "One day we should do this,

"one day we should do that."

So I went, "Righto, we're doing it."

Everything was sold and now we're travelling Australia.

It's been amazing.

Australia is awesome.

I want to prove tonight that, not only can women do it but mums.

It's hard to have an identity after having kids

so it's nice to be able to go,

this is something for me and this is who I am and this is what I can do.

For the semis tonight, I've got one destination in mind.

I'm getting over the wall and beyond.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Kirby Gibbons, the road trip ninja.

The whole family is here.

Axel, Danny and Bonnie.

Husband Jacob and dad Donald who inspired their big trip

in the first place.

CHANTING: Kirby! Kirby! Kirby!

Okay, quad steps.

Big first jump.

Remember, Kirby's background is in gymnastics.

The same as four of the women

who made it up the warped wall in the heats.

She's got the background alright.

Now onto the frame slider.

She's nice and light.

Only 52kg which is going to help a lot -

Less to hold up through those nasty jolts.

Sorry, Kirby, there's nothing to hold onto there.

Outward pressure from hands and feet.

She's trying to work that out.

Okay. The right knee is bent right up underneath the...

First jolt.

Oh, no.

Big splash.

Oh, no. Whoo.

Just have a look at the replay.

You'll see the right knee

tucked right up underneath her, below her foot.

When she hits the first jolt, her leg collapses, she loses balance

and her Ninja Warrior road trip ends with an impressive splash.

In the water, mum!

That's all you'll remember, isn't it?

Bad luck, Kirby Gibbons.

But tonight's semifinal course is already proving to be a big step up.

Our next ninja is an adventurer who has run a marathon in Antarctica.

He's training camels for a desert crossing but he's lucky to be here

after finishing 20th in his heat, he only just snuck in to the semifinals.

Give it up for Steve Choate.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

There he is.

Go, Steve.

You can do it.

So I was a bit nervous going in to the heat.

Bridge of blades now. Smashed it.

I remember getting past the second obstacle

and it all happened really quickly.

All of a sudden, I was in mid-air and that was it.

Steve!

This slightest mishap causes the biggest catastrophe for Steve Choate.

So I scraped in number 20

and it's definitely not how I wanted to go through

but it's a lifeline and I get to give it a good crack tonight.

So the similarities between training camels and being a ninja,

you just have to pay complete attention to what you're doing.

I'm pretty happy with my endurance.

If I'm using my endurance, it means I'm progressing.

So it's a good thing.

The goal for me tonight is to see how far I can go

and one thing I will do

is definitely leave it all out there on the course.

I definitely have to step it up.

I scraped into the semis by this much

but tonight, I'm going to prove myself.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Our firefighter and camel trainer

Steve Choate underperformed in the heat.

We expected big things. He only got to obstacle four.

He qualified 20th.

Scraped in.

I think he's going to go further this time.

There Steve's mum and dad,

Lynn and Clive along with the rest of the family.

Everyone hoping for big things.

Here he is, Steve Choate, off to an absolute flying start.

All steps done and dusted.

Slow down, Steve. Slow down.

Needs to treat this one with respect.

It's already taken out two tonight.

Do not make it three, Steve.

He's up, strong position.

One jolt, two jolts.

That is how it's done.

Flies of the end of it.

He's got a swagger about him, Steve Choate.

Hasn't he?

I reckon, this lad, he's a definite final contender.

Has to get through this though.

The broken pipe has been so difficult.

Here he goes.

Oh!

Look at that recovery.

One step, two. Oh, Steve was never going to let me down.

Now he turns the corner.

Looks ahead to the warped wall

but standing in front of him is the swinging peg board.

Now this obstacle,

the number obstacle is going to mean a lot to him.

He's never seen this particular obstacle

but in the heats, he came off the ball swing to cargo

in exactly the same spot as where he is right now.

Take your time. Get the pegs.

This is a real test of endurance and strength.

Get the pegs in.

And accuracy as well

because you've got to really nail the removal

and insertion of these pegs.

Swing!

The longer he spends up there on them pegs,

the harder it's going to be.

This course, it's just accumulative.

It just gets tougher all the way through.

Yes!

Two hands on that first peg.

Will he go for the second or straight for the third?

He's got long arms. Oh, he's gone for the second.

Now he's onto the third.

Here he goes. Nice swing.

Swing, snake hips here.

Look at that. There we go.

Here we go.

He's through.

You can see he's burned his arms.

The same thing happened to Scott Evennett.

He knows it's top eight furthest fastest

so he wants to be quick but he needs a breather.

It's a real gamble, isn't it?

Do you go with the speed or do you go with some patience?

He's taken a bit of time here. Probably 30 seconds.

Oh!

But it was not enough.

Steve Choate.

Got through in the back door, in the heats, 20th.

I didn't see him coming off there.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Steve made a confident start but you can see,

by the time he's halfway through the peg boards,

his arms are straightening as he starts to tire.

On the next obstacle, he got his hands around the battering ram

but just didn't have the strength to hold on.

A bit of bad luck, Freddie.

Steve, come here, mate.

You got further than you did in the heats.

Has this Ninja Warrior course all the way through surprised you

how hard it actually is?

Yeah, look, I think it's different

once you start stringing together these obstacles.

It takes it out of you a little bit

and a moment of inattention is all it takes, Freddie.

Top man. Ladies and gentlemen, Steve. Well done, mate.

What a bummer.

We are yet to see anyone get past the battering ram tonight

but there are plenty of big names to come.

Nothing gets in the way of the Enforcer Geoffrey Merc.

Go!

But can this riot squad cop overcome tonight's semifinal course?

Semifinals, I'm coming at you, all force.

For the bogan ninja, Zayne Wealthall,

season two has been a long time coming.

I put a whole year's work into this from last season.

Now he's ready to show big things come in small packages.

Tonight, this little guy has got something huge to prove.

I'm going to that grand final.

Warming up now is the onesie ninja Laura Edwards.

The semis for me is about showing everybody everything that I've got.

Tonight, I'm going all the way to hit that red buzzer.

Welcome back to Ninja Island.

And the third of our four semifinals.

Tonight, the course is playing tough.

No one has made it past obstacle five -

the battering ram to pipe climber.

Our next ninja has already achieved

her goal of making the semifinals

but tonight, she has more in her sights.

After finishing 16th in her heat, she is aiming for the grand final.

She is onesie ninja Laura Edwards.

So my onesie outfit started back

when I accidentally turned up for work with a onesie in my bag

and everyone called me coach onesie.

So I got one made and that way, no one could miss my name.

Here we go, Laura Edwards.

So, in the heats, my heart was pounding out of my chest.

The first lache was great.

Yes.

The second lache I've never done anything like that before.

This is a huge lache.

To the second. Oh, she's done it. No, she hasn't.

Yes... No!

I came off and hit the water. Just before the warped wall.

So brutal.

So close to the end.

So the semis for me is about showing everybody everything that I've got.

Everything that I'm capable of.

To get through to the grand final would feel,

feel like I really made it.

Tonight, I'm going all the way to hit that red buzzer.

I can do this.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

And there is a lot of support here for the onesie ninja.

Sister Angela on the left there and dad Jim on the end.

I like this girl. She is tenacious.

She really wants this.

Can we get another girl into the final of Australian Ninja Warrior?

Come on, Laura.

I reckon we can, Freddie.

Olivia Vivian is already through.

Why not Laura?

And she's away.

She's off to a confident start,

Laura Edwards, the 28-year-old looking good.

This is her third appearance on Ninja Island, Ben,

but she's never made it as far as the warped wall.

Chances are, she'll need to get past it tonight to make the grand final.

The frame slider, taking her time to get her hands

and feet in good position and as soon as she lifts her foot, she'll be off.

Has she got enough grip there?

She's very lucky to have hung on there.

Yeah!

As long as you hang on, you're okay.

Now, the broken pipes.

Light footwork required here by the onesie ninja.

She's light.

Only 60KG.

Hopefully, that is to her advantage.

It seems to be. She's halfway through. She is on the mushroom.

She just needs to continue on... Yes!

..and she's done it.

She circles those arms.

She pumps those arms in the air

to get herself through the next part of this course.

Team onesie on the sidelines cheering her on.

So too are the crowd.

Look at them in the background.

There's banners, there's T-shirts.

They're chanting. They're clapping.

CHANTING: Let's go, onesie. Let's go. Let's go, onesie. Let's go.

This is an obstacle that's done a lot of damage.

The peg board.

She swings up there.

This is a test of upper-body strength.

She starts moving these pegs.

Oh, she's having trouble getting that first peg in.

Oh, she's got the death wobbles.

They are quite deep holes too.

It's not like you need to place it.

They've got to carry all your bodyweight

so they are quite deep in there.

You really need to ram it in.

Arms are straight.

That's not textbook but she looks strong.

Will she have enough swing to make the move?

Oh! Oh. She's in.

Goes for the last peg.

That takes guts.

Oh, the dismount. Thought she was going to do it then.

She's got some swing. She's got some swing.

She's going to do it.

Come on. Get off there, Laura.

Is she going to do it? She's doing it!

Don't worry about that. She's doing it.

Great reaction.

Now no one has made it past the battering rams tonight.

Laura is taking a moment to recover. Smart move.

Coach onesie, and the crowd really want

to see Laura Edwards give it her very best shot.

Come on, Laura.

Show us how it's done.

And she's on!

Go!

She's moving fast across that first pipe.

Really fast.

She scrambling.

She doesn't want to be up there for long.

Yes!

That's a big move for her.

She knows it.

And now, if you can push that battering ram along,

she'll get a shot at the warped wall.

Legs up, legs up, legs up.

And Ninja Island comes alive.

Oh, it is well and truly alive, Ben.

She's the first to beat this obstacle

if she can climb down that pipe.

Come on.

No problems using the legs and she's there.

Well done.

What a moment for Laura Edwards.

What a moment for all of us here on Ninja Island

and all around Australia.

So far, six women have made it up the wall this season.

Can Laura make it seven?

Can she go all the way to the grand final?

165cm.

One of the shorter competitors on Ninja Island this year.

This is her moment. This is it for coach onesie.

This is what all the training has been for. She goes to the top.

Yes!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

That is phenomenal.

Wow.

Oh, that has just given me goosebumps.

Everybody here on Ninja Island is up out of their chairs.

And she is looking strong, Bec.

Three obstacles to go.

Come on, Laura.

Salmon ladder now.

Got to muscle her bodyweight up three rungs.

This is just torture but look at her eyes.

She wants this, Ben.

She's on that bar.

Oh.

Oh. This is such a big ask here for Laura Edwards.

It's a huge ask but she has the will and determination.

Yes!

One.

ALL: Oh!

Oh, that was a spectacular fall.

She made it up the warped wall and she made it to the salmon ladder.

What a great moment here on Australia Ninja Warrior.

The onesie ninja Laura Edwards

was the first to make it across the battering ram tonight.

She smashed the warped wall on her first ever attempt.

She made the first rung on the salmon ladder

but was fatigued and just rushed the second,

missing her mark but hold your head high, Laura.

Laura, there's a towel.

How thrilled were you getting to the top of that warped wall?

Oh, my goodness.

Finally had the opportunity and I knew that I could if I got there

with the adrenaline pumping and this amazing crowd behind me.

It just felt so good!

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Tell us what it means to get this far in the competition.

I can't even begin to explain.

Look at that smile on your face.

It's amazing.

I am so happy right now.

I am so proud of myself.

I really wanted that red buzzer

but maybe if I'm lucky, I have one more chance.

Well, you say that.

We're going to see now how the rest do.

It is fastest furthest so I think we should have

a look at the leaderboard and see where Laura Edwards stands on it.

Well, there she is.

The onesie ninja Laura Edwards at number one.

She's followed by former commando Scott Evennett in two.

Adventurer Steve Choate third.

Kirby Gibbons fourth and bachelor Tim Robards in fifth.

Laura Edwards, our furthest and fastest female tonight

and, at the moment, she has a spot in the grand final.

Can she hang on to that spot?

We'll find out right after this on Australian, Ninja Warrior.

Coming up, Ryan Brooke is not your average ninja.

As a child, my nickname was monkey because I liked bananas so much.

Neither is his approach to making the grand final.

I want to show that you don't have to take yourself too seriously

and as long as I don't slip up tonight,

you will see me in the final.

The barefoot ninja Daniel Mason is back.

Just missing out last year has really given me

that hunger to get there.

Can he hotfoot his way to the top of the tower?

I may have taken my time in the semifinals last year but tonight,

I'm going to fly through that course and make my way to the grand final.

Warming up now is the bogan ninja.

Zayne Wealthall

and he's hoping he can improve

on last season's semifinal performance.

I'm here to really show, not just Australia,

but this course what I'm made of.

The competitors on Australian Ninja Warrior

all want to make it through the course in record time.

But it's the ninja who goes furthest

and fastest that will be given the title of performance of the night.

Thanks to Berocca.

Welcome back to Australian Ninja Warrior semifinal three.

On course now is a bloke who finished third in his heat.

His name is Ryan Brooke.

He calls himself Baninja.

There is his partner Molly cheering him on tonight.

As he faces the warped wall, here goes.

And up he goes.

Ryan Brooke up the warped wall on the first attempt.

He is only the second competitor

after Laura Edwards to make it this far tonight.

So Ryan Brooke,

he may not have had the kind of prominence

that other ninjas have had, but at the moment,

he is staring down the barrel of our final three obstacles, Freddie.

We just want him to get to the top of the chimney.

Oh, thank you.

Throws his towel at me.

There's no need to rush.

You can take your time.

Just get to the top of this chimney.

Please, Baninja.

Give me, give the crowd,

give the viewers at home something to shout about.

As he comes onto the salmon ladder.

He's got to go up three rungs.

Oh!

One side is up and one side is down.

It's alright though, he's still here. Yes, come on, Baninja.

On to the last one.

That's okay. He only needs to get part of the bar onto the third rung.

Here he comes onto the floating monkey bars.

He'll take them with him.

Nice and easy.

Safety first.

Yes, Baninja.

Now he needs to dismount to the penultimate obstacle.

Oh, yes. Come on.

I'm getting excited.

Okay, he's made it to the second last obstacle.

Ryan Brooke, are you the man to go all the way tonight?

This is as far as anyone has made it tonight

and the first time we are seeing this new obstacle,

the hourglass to tramp to bungee.

CROWD: Baninja! Baninja! Baninja!

Now the thing about here, the drop is a big one

and that tramp has got a lot of give

so he's got to time it just right to make the bounce to that bar.

It's all about this drop, it's all about this jump.

Oh, no!

One hand.

Almost.

I thought he was going to be the man to go all the way.

Just a few metres short.

So close.

The Baninja peeled off the moves

across the salmon ladder to floating monkey

but with the end in sight,

he bounced just too far forward on the tramp

causing a desperate one-arm grab on the bar.

What a great run.

That was an unbelievable effort.

I've got to say, so close.

I had it in me but just the jump.

It threw me off.

I got one arm on it.

Tried to hang but it just wouldn't...

The grip strength at that point, it was getting a bit tired.

I'm still stoked.

Ladies and gentlemen, he didn't make it to the top of the chimney

but big round of applause for Banana ninja.

Well done, mate.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Well, Ryan Brooke is the furthest fastest of the night so far.

Our next ninja is also known for his speed.

He dazzled us in season one with his light footwork.

This year, he qualified 11th in his heat

after falling victim to the basket toss.

He is Zayne Wealthall.

The bogan ninja.

Last year, I come into the semis, I was confident.

He looks incredibly focused, Ben.

I think I thought too far ahead of myself.

And I lost it.

Oh, what?!

Sorry, it's pretty devo.

I went too slow so obviously I was absolutely devastated.

It felt like the whole year's work was just wasted.

Shattered.

But at the end of the day, what can I do?

Come back next year bigger and stronger.

I've trained so hard for this.

I put a whole year's work into this from last season.

I'm hungry.

I want this so bad.

I'm here to really show,

not just Australia, but this course what I'm made of.

Tonight, this little guy has got something huge to prove.

I'm going to that grand final.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

The bogan ninja is back.

Zayne Wealthall.

Will he be the first person

tonight to make it up the chimney and press that red button?

We want someone.

Come on, the bogan.

Break the curse of the semifinal course tonight.

Now just for the record, he calls himself the bogan ninja.

That's not our idea.

And such a small guy.

Weighing in at 70 kilos.

Standing five foot six.

He is well suited to this.

Looking good early on on the quadruple steps.

Comes up to the frame slider.

There's nothing to him really, is there?

Apart from a whole heap of guts and determination.

Now we get to see him on the frame slider.

He survives those two jolts.

Now onto the broken pipes.

Remember he came off on a very similar obstacle last year.

Reckons he went too slowly but here he is again being very tentative.

He is spooked by this one, Bec.

Come on, Zayne.

You've got to give it a crack, son.

Hang on. What's this? I've not seen this yet.

What's he doing? Oh. No.

That's all right. Shimmy across, mate.

Shimmy across. I like your style. The bogan ninja. Like a rat.

Are you allowed to do this?

Yeah, you can. You just hang onto it.

As long as he doesn't put his hands on the dark part there.

He's got to stay on the mushies.

What?

He's okay.

Oh, my goodness me.

Zayne, Zayne.

He is on the mushroom.

He's not going to do it again, is he?

He's going to run across this time, isn't he?

He's got to get off the mushroom.

He's not. He's going to go slow again.

I can't believe what I'm seeing.

No. It's alright.

It's all about survival.

Oh, he's doing it again.

Look at the bogan.

He's going to use his head again. This is incredible scenes.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Hey, hey. Love the bogan.

I cannot believe my eyes.

I cannot believe what I just witnessed then, Ben.

I've seen some things on Ninja Warrior.

I'm not seen anything like that in my life before.

Well, it's spiced up the night, that's for sure.

And now for the swinging pegboard.

He's on the rope and soon, he'll be on the first swinging pegboard.

Okay, he seems to be doing this the traditional way.

He is light and that will help on this one.

There's only 70kg of him.

He's going up to the highest and then coming back down again.

He's not going in a straight line.

Up and down, up and down.

He likes the diagonal and why doesn't that surprise us?

Look how high he is able to keep all of his knees and his core.

Yeah, the arms.

Bent at 90 degrees, not fully outstretched.

This is a hard stretch for him

because he doesn't have the wingspan of many of our other ninjas.

But he does nicely.

Zayn, great transfer. Oops.

He dropped a peg. You can see he is starting to get tired.

Those arms are straightening but this guy is a fighter.

He's not going to give up.

Getting those legs swinging for the dismount.

Come on, Zayne. One more swing.

Oh!

Right on the end of the obstacle.

He's just come up short.

What an incredible effort from the 21-year-old.

Just look at the way he conquered the broken pipes.

No one's tried it before but it worked for Zayne.

He looked to have nailed the pegboard too

but just didn't have the swing he needed at the dismount.

He must be gutted, Freddie.

I think I can see it written all over your face

how you feel about that, Zayne.

Shattered.

Can you talk us through the broken pipes?

Talk about using your head.

Well, semifinals last year, I got knocked out on it

so I wasn't going today.

I went with the slow approach and they just turned me.

I had to grab it.

I tell you what, I wasn't falling on it

so I didn't care what was going on.

I wasn't going to fall on that tonight.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Yeah, bogan ninja.

Top man. Ladies and gentlemen, Zayne.

Unlucky, mate. Gutted for you.

Top man.

He is one determined little fella,

the bogan ninja but it wasn't to be tonight, Bec.

And still no ninjas have made it to the final obstacle.

We'll see if one can right after this on Australian Ninja Warrior.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Aerial ninja Celeste Dixon was one of six women

who made it up the wall in the heats.

Celeste Dixon!

But will she be the one to push the buzzer tonight?

It was such an amazing feeling. I want to smash it again.

Up next, Ninja Warrior's biggest rivals Jayden and Nathaniel Irving.

The Irving bros are back.

It's brother against brother against this tough semifinal course.

I'm on team Nathaniel.

I'm supporting you all the way and,

hey, it's up to you to see if you can beat me.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Welcome back to Ninja Island and our third semifinal.

So far tonight,

no one has completed this course.

Can our next ninja change that?

Now Ninja Warrior has thrown up some great sibling rivalries

but none better than the Irving brothers.

Stuntman Jayden got the better of little brother Nathaniel

in season one.

Again this year in the heats, both are competing tonight.

So the red-hot rivalry remains alive and kicking.

It is Jayden Irving.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

So first heat back for me for this season and controversy.

Oh.

I think we'll have to have a steward's enquiry on that.

I think his foot touched the water.

I was shattered because this is my chance

to prove that I was better than my brother

and having been kicked out

so early in the comp would have been gutwrenching.

Luckily, video ref said my foot in fact didn't hit the water

and I was cleared to compete in the semis

so now I'm really amped to be here.

I've got to prove that I'm better than last year.

Pressure is always there to get the in the grand final

but at the end of the day, you've got to run your own race.

Come on, Nathanial.

Oh, no. His feet are wet.

I'm amped to have Nathaniel here

because we've been ninja bros the whole time.

The rivalry is definitely back.

I don't know. It's probably not back.

I have to beat you. I can't lose.

But you're not really any competition.

I could beat you.

It's not a rivalry thing. I will beat you.

No, you won't. I will.

(MOUTHS)

On the sideline, mum and dad, Carol and Stewart.

With younger brother Nathaniel who will run later.

Jayden Irving, this lad performed so well in the heat,

flew round the course

but the big question is can he break the curse

of tonight's semifinal course?

Oh, come on.

Someone, please do it.

Now he's off. Quadruple steps. Very comfortable.

Two-step style there on the quadruple steps. Frame slider now.

Go on, Jayden.

Jayden Irving, I think this lad is a real competitor.

Oh, whoa. He's copped a bang on the head on the second drop.

He was not expecting that but he's okay.

Now, he's setting a quick pace through the first three obstacles.

That's if he can get through the burn.

Go, Jayden, over onto the mushroom, doesn't stop.

He's okay.

Oh. He's okay.

That was close.

Well done.

Jayden Irving, you lucky, lucky boy.

Attacked it, went quick. Got away with it.

Doesn't matter how you get through, just get through.

Come on, Jayden!

No breath.

He's obviously got confidence and he's got enough energy

to get up onto this obstacle - the swinging pegboard.

And the trick that we are learning here

is you need to be careful but fast.

You can't afford to burn too much energy hanging off those pegs.

Well, if encouragement counts for anything,

he's getting plenty of fuel from the sideline.

He needs to transition across to the second board.

There you go. Pretty smooth.

Backhand onto the end peg. That's a great move.

He did that with such grace and poise, didn't he?

He is looking extremely strong.

I'm feeling he's looking in better form tonight

than he was in the heats.

Okay, the battering ram to pipe climber.

Only Laura Edwards and the Baninja have made it through this.

He grabs the first battering ram, pushes it along.

Then there's a bit of a jump to the next battering ram.

How they do it, I don't know but they do.

There you go.

Onto the second one.

As of yet, not one ninja reaching the top of the chimney.

Is this the man to do it?

I'll tell you what, it could be, Freddie.

Remember he's been to the grand final before.

Yes, he has.

Oh, geez.

Looking a bit tired. Here he goes.

The warped wall.

Come on.

And he's up.

He'll be happy with that,

but he is feeling the pinch.

Now the salmon ladder.

Only Baninja Ryan Brooke has passed this one.

Can Jayden go better?

I'm tired.

Jayden, don't say you're tired.

Get on with it. Come on, get to the top of that chimney.

He's telling people he's tired.

Don't give in to it.

It's all in the mind, Jayden.

Jayden Irving meets the salmon ladder.

It's vertical, it's mean, it's brutal and it's agonising.

One, two. One more to come.

There it is.

Well done, Jayden.

Now he's got to use those bars to work his way across the frames.

Good lad, Jayden.

Come on, Jayden.

Keep working, son. Dig deep.

He looks between the two. Makes the next, almost.

His second chance. No.

Third time the charm? No.

Oh, please. Get in there. Get in there.

Yes! Yes!

Get in there.

Get off.

Yes.

Oh, Jayden.

You make my heart skip a beat.

Now, Jayden Irving just composing himself, wiping his hands.

So close to the chimney, he can taste it.

He can feel it. He can nearly touch it.

He's got this one obstacle in his way. Hourglass to bungee.

Excellent work.

Don't rush, Jayden.

Take your time.

Catch your breath. Catch your breath.

Get your breath.

Jayden Irving would be our first competitor tonight

up the chimney to rope climb.

This is where the Baninja Ryan Brooke came unstuck.

That tramp is super stretchy

and you need firm legs to get enough height off the bounce

to grab that bar or one of the bungees.

Not easy.

This is nerve wracking to watch. Boing.

Oh, no!

Oh, no!

Another one crashes out.

Jayden Irving so near, yet so far.

This tramp is proving to be a difficult one.

You can see he pulls himself up just before release

and he doesn't get enough forward momentum

which means he bounces straight up and just can't reach that red bar.

But what a super run.

Jayden finishes just three seconds behind the Baninja Ryan Brook.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

The thing is, Bec, Jayden Irving has just shown

that ninjas are getting closer and closer

and closer to completing this course.

Plenty more action here on the semifinals

of Australian Ninja Warrior after this.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Former BMX champion Daniel Walker

has experienced plenty of bumps in the road.

Had the opportunity to go as far as I can and just threw them away.

Now he reckons he's got what it takes to go all the way.

I will go further

and I'm going to smash that course and hit the buzzer.

And warming up now,

aerial ninja Celeste Dixon ready to take her shot at the course.

This year, I want to be one of the girls in the grand final.

That would be the icing on the cake.

Welcome back to Australian Ninja Warrior semifinal three.

While you were away, the course continued to played havoc

with some of our strongest ninjas.

Nathaniel Irving wanted to beat older brother Jayden and started well.

Coming down. Bang, bang.

Oh. Blooming 'eck.

Yes. Well done, Nathaniel.

But he couldn't match his brother's efforts

on the battering ram to pipe climber.

Oh!

Oh, my God.

Ninja Damo, Damien Lees conquered the warped wall...

..but like so many others, just could not crack that salmon ladder.

Come on, Damo, and again, son.

Oh, Damo.

And it was a forced landing for Mr Bigg,

air force technician Alex Bigg.

Oh, no!

And he's in the water.

Just missed the bar.

He missed it by about an inch.

Big effort. Big effort.

Now remember, it's the eight furthest fastest

that make it through to the grand final so let's check the leaderboard.

The Baninja Ryan Brooke holds on

to the number one spot with Jayden Irving jumping into second.

While onesie ninja Laura Edwards holds on in fifth.

Adventurer Steve Choate is living dangerously in the eighth spot

which puts bogan ninja Zayne Wealthall

and road trip ninja, Kirby Gibbons out of the running.

Our third semifinal

and I can't believe that we've had no one complete the course tonight.

You're telling me. It's not as if we don't have great ninjas.

We certainly do but let's just hope that their fortunes change.

Our next ninja could just be the one to make it happen.

She was one of six women to make it up the warped wall in the heats.

A true testament to ninja perseverance.

At the warped wall, she twice failed to make it over

until her gutsy third effort proved a charm.

Let's give it up for Celeste Dixon.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

To know that I'm one of six girls

to make it up that wall is just the most amazing feeling.

You get there, you know you've got three attempts

and to fail the first two times was just devastating.

Relax. Concentrate!

It's within your grasp and then it just goes.

You've got one more shot and then that's it. It's all over.

You don't make it, you're not through.

Can she do this time?

Celeste Dixon makes it up.

I don't even remember how I got up.

I remember just seeing this red shiny light

going "Hit me, hit me" and I'm like, bash.

Then I kissed the top of the wall.

It was great.

So when you get to the semis,

the competition is so much harder, so much more pressure.

Especially on yourself.

When you know what's in front of you, your heart rate rises,

your hands sweat.

It's just, ugh, nerves everywhere.

To get up that wall twice would be awesome

but to get all the way to the end, that would be unbelievable.

This year, I want to be one of the girls in the grand final.

That would be the icing on the cake.

Celeste cheer squad is always something to behold.

Dad Steve seems to be particularly vocal.

She'll be wanting every bit of support tonight.

Off she goes.

Quad steps.

Celeste Dixon the aerial ninja.

She has got great upper body strength

which will serve her well tonight.

That's right.

She's light, she's strong

and that should help through the pegboard and the battering ram.

That is some distance away.

Focus. Focus.

On the sidelines again, dad is very, very vocal.

Shouting encouragement, shouting advice.

Shouting nonsense at times but it all helps.

Take your time!

Take your time.

Take your time.

Wedges herself in.

Good strong position.

She looks comfortable.

Here she goes on the second obstacle.

Falls flat on the mat.

Keep going! Keep going! Keep going!

Just in the middle! Just in the middle!

This one is a nightmare.

The broken pipes.

Sizing it up.

Visualising those steps.

She needs to hit the pipes dead centre every time..

Come on, Celeste.

The nerves would be excruciating at the moment.

Here she goes, she is halfway. Safe.

Dives for the mushroom.

You've got to do this step down from the mushroom

and the pipe moves as soon as you hit it.

Come on, Celeste.

Come on, Celeste. Come on, Celeste.

So nerve wracking, Celeste.

Here she goes.

Yes. Oh, there you go.

You can see just how hard the ninjas think that obstacle is.

The broken pipe.

Every one of them, once they're through,

celebrating like they've completed the course.

Alright, three down, six to go, Celeste.

Take it easy.

Take it easy. Take it easy.

Oh, this is where the course really starts to bite.

And now she hits the first of these boards.

She's got to take the pegs out of the holes and move them along.

The strength required just to pull one of them out.

This is going to be a slow process.

The question will be whether or not

she can sustain all the time up on those boards.

She's up there for a while.

You got it. You got it.

You got it.

Doesn't want to take too long on here.

Starting to feel it now in the fingers and the forearms.

In the arms.

Not to mention, it is also the furthest fastest.

Got to keep one eye on the clock to get through to the final.

She is exercising patience

and caution at the moment and now she starts kicking up these feet.

Oh, she's got to make this transition over

and it is one frightening one.

Look at the angle that her arms are on.

Yes, Celeste Dixon.

Oh, Celeste.

You little ripper.

Superb, absolutely superb.

I honestly did not think she was going to make that.

She spent so much time hanging in the air

and to do this, fingers crossed she gets the dismount.

Yes, she's got the swing.

To do that is incredible.

That's it. That's it.

You go, girl. You know this.

The battering ram to pipe climber now.

She knows only the eight furthest fastest go through

so she's got to pick it up.

On the other hand, your body is saying,

"Hey, Celeste, give me a rest."

I reckon she's given herself a good amount of time here.

She's given her body a decent spell.

Let's hope it's enough and look at the focus on that face.

No doubt about that.

At this stage of the course,

no matter how fit you are, your arms and upper body is stinging.

You'll be right.

And here she goes.

Oh!

She slipped.

Celeste Dixon just falls short.

Unbelievable.

Unbelievable.

After a promising start from Celeste, fatigue came into play.

Like so many others,

she took too long on peg boards burning time and energy.

Then she landed too far forward on the trampoline

and didn't quite get the height she needed

to reach that first battering ram.

Bad luck, Celeste Dixon. Amazing run though, Freddie.

How much harder is that course tonight?

Massively.

(LAUGHS) Massively harder.

The course plays tricks on your mind.

It's not really about ability.

It's about the mind games that it plays with you.

But, you know, you think I'd know how to use a mini tramp.

Maybe I need to buy one. (LAUGHTER)

Ladies and gentlemen, Celeste.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Unlucky.

Go Celeste!

Well, unfortunately Celeste misses out on a place in the grand final

but the competition for those top eight places

is just getting hotter.

It's Australian Ninja Warrior.

Don't go anywhere.

We are back with more of your ninja heroes right after this.

Coming up, can anyone beat this course?

We roll out the big guns next.

The Enforcer, riot squad cop Geoffrey Merc.

Semifinals, why stop here?

Let's go all the way to the top.

Mount Midoriyama, I'm coming for you.

And the barefoot ninja Daniel Mason.

He's completed every ninja course he's attempted.

Can he keep that record intact tonight?

I'm really trying to replicate what I did last year,

just a little bit quicker.

I'm going to fly through that course and make my way to the grand final.

Welcome back to Australian Ninja Warrior

semifinal three and over the break,

some of our very best ninjas

attempted to crack this brutal course.

After putting up a good fight,

it was a technical knockout for one-time boxing champ Cody Phelp.

What an incredible run on probably the toughest course

we've seen on Ninja Island.

Last year's furthest fastest in the grand final, Fred Dorrington.

He looked the goods until the tramp to bungee.

ALL: Oh!

That trampoline has seen another off.

It's sent Fred Dorrington off.

And Adelaide firefighter Andy Dunt was snuffed out

at exactly the same place.

ALL: Oh!

He has gone far enough to put himself

in a very strong position to go into the grand final.

Absolutely.

At this stage, we have not had a ninja up the final obstacle.

However, all that could change.

Let's have a look at the leaderboard.

Looking at those top eight qualifying faces,

the Baninja Ryan Brooke is still in top spot

with Jayden Irving in second.

Last season's furthest fastest Fred Dorrington comes in third.

Whilst the onesie ninja Laura Edwards just hangs on in eighth

keeping her grand final dream alive.

We are nearing the end of this semifinal

but if anyone can make it through

this toughest of tough courses,

you would have to say it's our next ninja.

He's a hot favourite who has never failed to complete a course

and he only just missed out on a place in last year's grand final.

This guy is a contender.

Let's give him a big round of applause.

Daniel Mason, the barefoot ninja.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

It's Daniel Mason. 26 from Victoria.

A.k.a. The barefoot ninja.

He didn't make it through to the finals last year.

He was too slow in the semis.

Looking to rectify that.

He was faster in the heats.

One of the quicker times.

But speed is all right.

You've just got to get to the end of the semifinal course.

The barefoot ninja, yes, he's wearing shoes for safety reasons.

There is the barefoot ninja's wife

Maddie and baby son Fletcher cheering him on.

Hoping dad's got his fast feet on tonight.

Here he goes.

He's got the pedigree to finish this course.

Such an incredible record.

He's finished every course he's started.

The only thing that's ever beaten him is time.

Can he keep up that record tonight?

Now the frame slider, Daniel is not tall.

Only 5'5" so it is a little bit of a stretch

to wedge himself in here.

And he's off.

Okay. Oh, what?!

That's an obstacle so many ninjas get through.

I didn't see the barefoot ninja coming off there.

Oh, we had such high hopes for Daniel.

Maybe it's the shoes but his left foot just slipped down

when he hit that first jolt and in a shock exit,

the barefoot ninja belly flops out of the competition.

Bad luck, Daniel Mason.

Daniel, that's a big shock.

I did not see you coming off on the frame rider.

No, I think I was concentrating too much on the next one.

Big mistake to underestimate any obstacle, I think.

Yeah, pretty disappointed.

You can't take your eyes off anything on this.

Ladies and gentlemen, the barefoot ninja.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Unlucky, pal.

Thank you very much.

Well, we've certainly seen our fair share

of heartache on this course tonight.

Let's bring out the big guns.

Our next semifinalist is the Enforcer Geoffrey Merc.

This police officer with the riot squad had little trouble in his heat

and is now focused on progressing to the grand final.

Jeffrey Merc.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

He's one of our new heroes and word on the street,

He is the one to beat.

Okay, there's his mum Feliciana on the right

and his sister Jennifer and brother-in-law Abun.

That's a game face if ever I saw one

and he's known to his mates as the Enforcer.

He'll be doing everything he can to dominate this course tonight.

Part of the riot squad, based in Sydney.

I reckon there will be a riot if he finishes this course tonight.

That is for sure. There is huge support for Jeffro.

Come on, Jeffro.

We need someone to get through this course.

Looking good. Looking cheeky.

Oh, and that's well done.

A little bow to his mates.

It might be a little bit early for that, Jeffro.

You need to be concentrating on the broken pipes.

He takes a moment. One step, two step, halfway.

Oh! Jeffro!

Oh. On the third obstacle, the one to beat is in the water.

And another one bites the dust.

Jeffro's two steps were good,

the pipe barely moved a millimetre but he was going way too fast.

He couldn't stop himself on the mushroom

and the Enforcer cops a punishment on the crash mat.

Jeff, we had high hopes for you.

We thought you was going to get through all the way to the final.

What went wrong, mate?

I kind of overestimated this...

I wanted to stop in the middle to reset

but I think I was moving too fast forward.

I didn't have time to reset to keep going.

Yeah.

Here's your towel, Jeffrey.

Ladies and gentlemen, the Enforcer, Jeffrey. Unlucky, pal.

Up next, the last chance to defeat this semifinal three course

that's proving a nightmare tonight.

It's BMX champion Daniel Walker getting some last-minute advice.

Bye. Love you.

Dada, hit the buzzer.

Welcome back to semifinal three of Australian Ninja Warrior.

Incredibly, no one has hit the buzzer so far tonight.

But our next ninja has got what it takes.

The BMX ninja was up the wall first in the heats

and now all of our hopes are riding on him.

Watch out, Ninja Island.

Daniel Walker.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Let's go.

Let's go.

Let's go.

I walked on that stage

and just straight away, I was just in the zone.

Stretching out, bit of a dance actually, my wife told me.

This is the opportunity to make his way up the warped wall.

He's done it. Daniel Walker.

Got up that wall and I just screamed, jumping around.

It was emotional.

I feel it now.

But, um... Sorry.

Ninja Warrior is massive to me at the moment.

Showing my kids that, no matter what happens in life,

you can better yourself.

I want them to be proud of me.

They are going to be on the sideline with me again.

I'm going to push and push.

When I'm sore and tired and struggling,

look at them and keep going.

I will go further.

I'm keen. Confident. I'm keen, confident and ready.

People might have underestimated me being a BMX racer

but watch me tonight.

I'm going to smash that course and hit that buzzer.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

BMX! BMX!

And there are the faces on the tattoos

- daughter Isabel, stepson Kai along with Brooke and mum Annette.

Have a look at his face.

He wants it.

He is ready to go.

His family want it as well.

They are so excited.

It's one of the great things about this whole experience.

It's not just the ninjas themselves.

It really is a whole family experience for them.

Hold on, daddy!

Come on, Daniel. Hang on there.

Thud, thud.

Safe.

Yes! Yes!

Now the broken pipes.

One slip and you're off

as the Enforcer Geoffrey Merc just discovered.

Just needs to keep it all in check especially on this.

This is tough. Yes.

Go on, Daniel.

Oh, he'll be pleased with that.

Have a look at the stands.

Look at young Isabel.

She is riding every bump with him.

This next one will test them both.

The swinging pegboard, prepare for pain, Daniel.

Okay, Daniel. Show us how to do this.

One by one.

He removes the peg and finds a hole, removes a peg and finds a hole.

Then he's going to get this board swinging.

And transfer onto the next board.

Look at him holding his bodyweight up like that.

It is an amazing thing to watch.

Win! Win!

And now, just kicking himself up, making the transfer.

Honestly, you've got to be in awe of our new ninjas

that can hang in the air like this and complete that obstacle.

That is one tough cookie that you're watching.

He needs to be tough, Bec, because we know what's next.

The battering ram.

Come on, Dada.

Hang in there, Izzy.

Come on, Daniel.

The battering ram starts to move

across the first part of this obstacle.

Look at the arms there.

They'll be burning at the moment.

Now he needs to make that transfer to the second one

but you can see it's higher than the first.

He's got to jump up here.

He makes it.

Now he needs to shimmy forward.

His shoulders will be burning.

Look at the tension in the lats at the back.

Hooks his legs on.

There'll be relief there once he lets them arms go.

Taking a bit of strain on the legs now as well.

Come on, mate. Come on, mate.

Come on, mate.

Yes! Come on, mate.

Nicely done.

Through to the warped wall.

How cute is this kid?!

Here we go up the warped wall.

Can he do it? Of course he can.

Why am I even questioning Daniel Walker?

Well, we've got to question this next one,

Bec, because these next three obstacles, no one has made it past.

The hourglass to tramp to bungee.

One step at a time.

The salmon ladder to floating monkey, he composes himself, tests the tramp.

Come on, Daniel.

You can do this.

Yeah, big deep breath.

Here he goes. Up onto the first rung. Steadies himself.

Got to get up three rungs and take the bar with you, Ben.

He is getting set for the first.

Taking his time to make sure.

One...

Again, taking his time, too.

Oh.

Can he lift himself up?

He gave himself a little shake of the head there, Bec.

I think he's worried now.

He's just got to do it one more time.

He finds something. He digs really deep and he's done it.

Oh, now all of a sudden.

He's in the pool.

It's alright. He did good. He did good, baby girl.

He did good. He did good.

That was a phenomenal run.

He absolutely gave it 100% tonight.

As this semifinal course claims our final ninja of the night,

we've got to say, this really is the toughest we've seen.

That killer combination, pegboard

into the battering ram, it just shreds their arm strength.

By the time Daniel reaches the salmon ladder,

he's struggling to hold on, let alone jump up three rungs.

Wow, it's been a tough night, Freddie.

Daniel, that was incredible.

I enjoyed watching that.

Mate, you're a BMXer.

You've turned your life around.

Can you believe where you are on Ninja Warrior right now?

To be honest, I really can't.

I'm super proud.

Them three over there, they're the reason I'm doing this.

I'm stoked for where I got.

I'm stoked that I got past the second obstacle.

You can't really complain.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

You know your family are waiting over there.

Go and join them, pal. Great effort, Daniel.

Well done, mate.

ALL: Daniel! Daniel! Daniel! Daniel!

Well, that's another semifinal under our belt

with, you'd have to say, some rather unexpected results.

No one completed the course

so let's bring up the final leaderboard

and check out who went the furthest fastest

to secure a spot in the grand final.

The Baninja Ryan Brooke sits in top spot.

Jayden Irving is in two.

While last season's furthest fastest Fred Dorrington is in third.

The BMX ninja Daniel Walker comes in at seventh

while ninja Damo Damien Lees rounds out tonight's top eight.

Which unfortunately means the onesie ninja Laura Edwards just misses out

on a place in the grand final.

In a night where no one completed the course,

the pick of the bunch has to be the Baninja Ryan Brooke.

Although the 26-year-old only made it as far as the eighth obstacle,

with a time of four minutes, six seconds,

the returning semifinalist was the furthest fastest of the night.

So, next week sees the conclusion of this incredible second season

with one more semifinal before the grand final kicks in.

So many of our returning

and new heroes are booking their tickets to Ninja Island

in what is sure to be an epic week.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Great athletes, great obstacles waiting to be conquered.

But the big question, who among them can become Australia's Ninja Warrior?

It will be fascinating to watch the whole thing unfold.

Until then, from an Ninja Island...

Good night. Good night.

Good night.